Electric time-switch.



PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

0. A. BALLOU. ELECTRIC TIME swrrcn.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEBO, 1905.

W/ TNESEES.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wxsumarou, n. c.

.No. 830,041. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906. 0. A..BALLOU.

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 30,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z W/TNEssEs; INVEN 713 M m m sxxmm.

a/wg

UNITED STATES.

ra'rninr orriori ELECTRIC TIME-SWITCH Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed June 30, 1905. Serial No. 267,734.

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLAYTON A. BALLOU, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Time-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cut-outs, socalled, adapted to be automatically actuated in an intermittent manner at certain prearranged times or intervals.

The present invention embodies the combination with a suitable quick-acting positively-driven mechanical device, of a contact-switch taking its movements from said mechanism, and an intermittingly-revoluble cut-out device interposed between said switch and mechanism, the latter also controlling the movements of said cut-out device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front side elevation, in partial section, representing the present invention, the electric circuit being closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the circuit being broken or open. Fig. 3 is a partial side view showing the relation of the parts when the cut out device itself is brought into action to temporarily keep the circuit open. Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the cut-out, taken on line :0 0c of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a partial end elevation, showing a pair of mercury-cups, &c., corresponding with the position shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is a front elevation, in reduced scale, showing my improved automatic electric timeswitch combined with suitable time mechanism, the position of the parts of the device being substantially as represented in Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention. or improve ment I employ means for intermittingly opening and closing the electric circuit. As

drawn, a star-wheel a and front and rear cam-wheels or members a a are suitably positioned and secured together and mounted to revolve in unison on the fixed supporting pin or stud 0, extending horizontally from the face of the vertical frame I). d d indicate two swinging front and rear arms or levers pivoted at a 0 respectively, to said frame, each provided on its lower side with an extension or member in frictional engagement with the periphery of its respective cam. The front lever d is weighted and bears against a lateral extension 61 form ed on the short arm of lever d Intermittent rotary movement is or may be imparted to said star and cam wheels by means, say, of a continuously-revoluble clock-driven disk or dial f, secured to the clock-spindle f and provided with lateral pins f (See also Fig. 6.) Said pins in moving through the circularpath successively engage the teeth of the star-wheel and rotate it a short angular distance or one tooth, thereby at the same time causing the said cams to correspondingly swing the levers in vertical planes. I make no specific claim, however, to said levers or to means for actuating them. The dial f may make one revolution each day of twenty-four hours, thereby, in cooperation with said wheels, &c., together with other means ab out to be described, opening and closing the electric circuit once per day, the length of the intervals being determined by the relative position or angular distance apart of the pins.

If mercury contact means be employed, the cups or mercury-containers, as h h of the switch are or may be constructed and connected with the main conducting-wire of an electric circuit in any well-known or suitable manner. As drawn, Fig. 1, the conductingshank 77/2 of the cup passes through insulation m of a base or table m and is secured in position by a nut 12. The main conductor a is severed, one end being secured to the shank 71, by a binding member a, the other end (not shown) of the wire being secured in like manner to the fellow cup h. The outer or free end of said lever 61 has secured thereto a non-conducting arm or member 9, in which is movably mounted a U-shaped contact or conductor element 'i, its two end portions, as drawn, being bent and passing downwardly freely through the covers of the respective cups and when in service into the mercury. (See Fig. 1.)

Interposed between the cups and said starwheel is mounted a revoluble wheel or cutout device p, having a series of peripherally spaced pins 19 extending horizontally from the face thereof. Said pins are arranged with respect to and are adapted to be successively engaged bythe teeth of wheel a, the latter causing the member 22 to revolve in an intermittent or step-by-step manner. As drawn, the wheel p is divided by the pins 1) into fourteen equidistant spaces 8, one of them being bridged by a short bar 8 When the time-switch mechanism is in normal operation, each daily revolution of the clockdriven disk f will, through the medium of the engagement of the teeth of wheel a with said pins 2), move the cut-out wheel p an angular distance corresponding, say, to two spaces, being one-seventh of a complete revolution. The corresponding movements of the levers d d are normally e'l'lected and controlled by the cams a (L2 and said members f and a, the result being to automaticallyclose and open the electric circuit once per day, or, in other words, the lever (Z swings the contact memher 'i into and out of the mercury contained in the cups during said period. Thus far during the operation the wheel 1) has not been brought into action except to move idly on its axis. New in case it is desired to prevent the circuit irom closing at any time during the regular or normal working of the apparatus the lever (Z is provided with a depending short arm or extension d, (adapted to freely enter the spaces 8 as the latter are successively brought into position or in alinement thereunder by the rotation of the wheel 1),) arranged. to rest upon and be supported by the said. bridge or bar 8 the latter having been already or previously positioned, so as to be brought by the wheels action directly. under said extension (Z upon the arrival of a previously-selected hour or day, thus for the time being keeping the circuit broken. and preventing the member i from entering the mercury. (See corresponding position of the parts as represented in Fig. 3.) At the same time, however, the normal movements of the several elements of the actuating mechanism are in no wise interrupted. or al fected, except the temporarily-arreste l full action of the lever (Z as before stated.

In order to prevent the cut-out wheel 2) from turning rearwardly, I provide a thin swinging pawl t, its forward end being adapted to freely enter the space 8 between each pair of pins. The pawl is pivoted at t to the frame b and is weighted at t to insure its proper working. (See Fig. 4.)

hile I have represented my invention as combined with actuating mechanism adapted to a switch in which the electric circuit is closed by mercury contact, so called, I do not desire to specifically limit the combination to such type of switch.

The present improvement is employed only as a circuit-breaker. The periodical intermittent movements of the time-switch mechanism proper and the corresponding periodical opening and closing of the electric cireuit are normally unaffected by the presence of the revoluble circuit-breaker device, except when the wheel 19 in its advancing movement carries the previously-adjusted bridge in position to arrest the lever (Z in its downward meY'i-inent, and thus temporarily prevent the closing of the circuit, substantially as hereinbelore stated.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Unitedv States Letters Patent 1. In an automatic electric time-switch provided with suitable time mechanism, the combination Oil a revoluble disk or member f connected with and actuated by said time mechanism, a self-dropping swinging arm or lever having a current-comlucting member mounted in its l'ree end, intermittingly-revoluble mechanism actuated by said disk member tor imparting vibratory movements to said lover, a revoluble wheel having its movements actuated bysaid ltwer-operating mechanism, a pair 01 poles or terminals located in an electric circuit, and means movable with said wheel for engaging the lever at predetermined intervals to prevent the currentconducting member thereof trom contacting with said poles and closing the circuit.

2. In a device oi the character described, the combination in an electric circuit with a time mechanism, a revoluble star-whrml, a swinging c ntact-carrying lever, and means operatively connected. with the time mechanism lor imparting intermittent movements to said wheel and lever, of a revoluble wheel 1) actuated in a step-by-step manner by means of said star-wheel, and having the latter provided with. a bridge or member adapted when in use to automatically and temporarily engage said lever at predetermimwl i ntervals to arrest its movement and prevent it from closing said circuit.

3. In a device of the character described, a revoluble wheel 7) provided with peripherallyspaced pins, a suitably-rlisposed bridge or tie uniting some ol said pins, and a swinging checlepawl for holding the wheel in position.

4;. The combination in a Linus-switch with a revoluble star-wheel and a swinging eontact-carrying lever d provided with an extension d" on its under side, oi the circuitbreaker wheel 7), adapted to be actuated by said star-wheel, having peripherally-spacerl pins and spaces and a bridge .9 connecting a pair o'l. pins, adapted when in use to be engaged by said extension d for temporarily preventing the full action ol said lever, for the purpose hereinbetore set forth.

Signed at Providence, Rhode Island, this 28th day of June, 1905.

CLAYTO N A. BAIQLO U.

I/Vitnesses:

GEO. H. R'nn'rne'ron, CALVIN H. Brown. 

